Improvement in button-fastenings



B. HEATDN.

Button Fastenings. No.i53,220. Pat'entedluly21,1874.

-23 Wlinesses flwmfam- THE GRAPHIC CO. PHOYO'LITH-BS 8 4! PARK PLAGEJLY.

UNITED STATES PATEIET QFFICE.

DAVID HEATON, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN BUTTON-FASTENINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 153,220, dated July 21, 1874; application filed April 23, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID HEATON, of th city and county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and Improved Button Connection or Fastener, of which the following is a specification, referring to the accompanying drawing, making part of the-same, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a button, secured to a fabric by my improved connection or fastener. Fig. 2 is an upright view or elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a flat view of the sheet-metal blank from which said connection or fastener is made. Fig. 4. is a flat view of the same, with the staple S formed for receiving the shank or staple D of the button. Fig. 5 is a top view of the complete fastener, (without a button,) showing the staple S and the top of the table T. Fig. -6 is a view of the clinched prongs or spurs I, which form a second table on the back side of the fabric.

Similar letters mark like parts in all the figures.

My invention relates to attaching buttons to wearingapparel by a metallic connection instead of by sewing in the usual way; and the invention consists of an improved metallic connection, so constructed as to provide a staple to receive that of the button, and a flat plate or table on both sides of the fabric, to which it is attached, the object being to produce a more substantial and a better and cheaper connection than those hitherto in use for the purpose.

In the drawing, B is the button with a staple, D, and S is the staple of the metallic connection. T is the upper table, and E is the under table, of said connection, on opposite sides of the fabric F. The said metallic connection is first cut as a blank from sheet metal, in the form shown in Fig. 3, with the upper table composed of the two wings T T, and three parallel fastening-prongs, I I I, extending, two in one direction and the third, I, in the opposite direction from said table. The prong I is longer and extends from the same side as the others (I) through the center of the table, where the loop or staple Sis formed in it, as shown in Fig. 4. All the said prongs are bent down at right'angles from the edge of the table T, by which a portion of the longer prong, I, at a", is disposed in line'with the table T and forms part of it. The prongs I I are cut bevel-pointed and may be thinned to an edge at the point, as shown in Fig. 2, to readily pierce the material of the apparel, after passing through which the said prongs are bent and clinched flatly against the back side of the same, the single prong I filling the space between the other two, I I, and thereby forming a smooth flat table on the under as well as the upper side of the fabric, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4t. The upper table, T, performs the office of a shield to protect the parts around the button-holes from wearing. The under table, E, performs the office of a shield also, to protect the wearing apparel underneath, and to prevent chafing and hurting the person, as the ordinary prongs, by forming bunches or protruding from the under surface, usually do; and both tables, (T and E,) being directly opposite each other on opposite sides of the fabric, mutually give a broad, positive, firm gripe to the fabric, holding it between them as in a vise.

The advantage of the metallic connection constructed with two of the fastening-prongs extending in one direction and the third in the opposite direction, in line with the space between the two first and all parallel with each other, is, that in cutting the blank a great saving is effected, because the whole blank can be cut from the narrowest limit of the sheet; and, besides, the single prong 1 can be cut in succession from the metal between the other two prongs in producing such blank with a saving of at least onethird of the stock. Another advantage is, that such buttons may, by said connection, be readily attached by the simplest mechanism and by most unskillful persons, and in this respect, as well as some others, better than those formerly in use for the purpose.

Having described my invention, I would not be understood as claiming a metallic button-connection, broadly; nor a connection in I claim which the button is attached to the apparel A button-fastener, having the wings T T, by a metallic loop through a hole in the same; the prongs I and I, and staple S, constructed nor aconnection composed of a loop and three and operating substantially as described.

fastening-prongs as all these I am aware 1 T have been previously used, aild neither 0% DAVE) HBATOL which embrace the features of my improve- Witnesses:

ment nor possess the advantages herein de- ISAAC A. BROWNELL,

scribed and set forth with reference thereto. EDWIN O. POMEROY. 

